This invention concerns a device for illuminating the interior of an opened ice chest and capable of being automatically deactivated by the closing of a closure lid of the ice chest.
Top-loading portable ice chests are in widespread use, said ice chests being comprised of an open-topped thermally insulated box-like storage compartment and a closure lid attached by horizontally disposed hinge means to the top of the storage compartment. When such ice chests are used during hours of darkness, as by campers, fisherman, boaters and others, it is often difficult to identify within the ice chest specific items such as a particular flavor or brand of beverage.
When a hand-held light is employed, the user must manipulate items within the chest with just one hand. This presents difficulties, especially when large or slippery items such as blocks of ice must be moved in order to find other items within the chest. The problem is particularly acute when the user's other hand must hold the lid open.
Lighting devices have heretofore been disclosed for illuminating box-like enclosures such as refrigerators, storage chests and closets, said devices being activated when a lid or other closure means is opened. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,906,131; 2,156,462; 2,448,080; 2,644,882; 2,801,330; and 4,577,262. In general, such prior art lighting devices are incorporated into the enclosures by virtue of specialized design of the enclosure to accommodate the lighting device at the time of factory manufacture. Accordingly, the cost of the enclosure is increased, and the purchaser has no option as to whether or not he wants the lighting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,156,462 to Schulte discloses a battery operated lighting device which may be easily emplaced in a refrigerator by the owner. The Schulte device is installed upon a horizontal shelf, and is positioned such that, when the vertically pivoted door of the refrigerator closes, it contacts a spring-biased plunger which turns the light off. The type of lighting device disclosed by Schulte is not applicable to ice chests because it would have to be supportively positioned within the storage compartment for interaction with the horizontally pivoted lid. Such positioning would interfere with normal use of the ice chest and would require resistance to water immersion and impact damage.
Prior lighting devices for enclosures have been so specialized that alternative uses are not feasible, and many lack adjustability of light distribution in their installed positions.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a lighting device for an ice chest that can be readily installed by the owner.
It is another object of this invention to provide a lighting device as in the foregoing object compatible with normal use of the ice chest.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lighting device of the aforesaid nature having versatility of use beyond dedicated installation within an ice chest.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a lighting device of the aforesaid nature capable of providing adjustability of light distribution.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a lighting device of the aforesaid nature of rugged and durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.